Today's bizarre problem

[anthonykay]

Needing to be cut out of my cycling jacket.

I was actually out for a walk, rather than cycling, but I was wearing my waterproof cycling jacket. After a while I was feeling warm, and tried to unzip it. The zip wouldn't go down, although it would go up. After a little while I decided just to carry on with the jacket on.

When I got home I asked my wife to help; she's much better than me with anything mechanical. After more than 20 minutes, trying oil, soap, various tools, she gave up; the zip simply wouldn't budge. So we had to resort to scissors.

The brand (in case you are interested): Madison Stellar. I should say that it has been excellent in every other way for the 18 months that I have had it.

[noel]

Did you discuss ways to cut it to make it still usable? I would have considered turning it into a smock.

[wheezing donkey]

Funnily enough, over the past 12 months I've had to replace the full length zips in two 'budget' items of cycling apparel:-
First was a Planet-X s/sleeved summer shirt with full zip (the professional quality in the "Flanders" colour scheme) apart from the cheapo zip it is otherwise an excellent item.
Also from Planet-X, an "Secco Condom" packable waterproof (made in China for the Dutch company AGU) again, just let down by a cut-price zip.
Fortunately a local seamstress can put top notch YKK zips in at £20 a time.
Also, a very old and exceptionally cheap "boil in the bag" waterproof from Decathlon with the zip stuck in the
'closed' position, so I can't get it off the clothes hanger.

[Graham Breeze]

... "boil in the bag" waterproof from Decathlon with the zip stuck in the
'closed' position, so I can't get it off the clothes hanger.

Now I refuse to believe you, an engineer, will be defeated.

And on the theme of not spoiling the ship (sheep) for a ha'p'orth of tar: my Mountain water proof is useless after the zip failed, the weakest part of an expensive Garmin watch is usually the puny strap pins and when my De Longhi espresso machine was enveloped in more steam than the Flying Scotsman I discovered that an internal steam connection was secured by a twisted wire and not even a ha'penny jubilee clip - and then on my Boardman....!

[molehill]

I'm still wearing my Running Bear gilet (several times a week on my bike), the Missus put a new zip in a few years back but otherwise near indistructible.
OK the pocket zips are knackered but who needs pockets.
A runner saw it a few weeks ago and was quite taken aback "haven't seen one of those in 20 years", it is like an favourite old pair of shoes, can't throw it away.

[Wheeze]

In 1988 I bought a Pete bland 2 piece pertex suit that folded into it's own bumbag with enough space to carry map compass whistle and food. Genius design that has accompanied me on every race in the last 30 years and never let me down. Manufacturers of today? ...tsk, no idea!!🤣

[molehill]

That was a good bit of kit, everyone had one back in the good old days when there was little or no choice. No worrying about fabrics, waterproofness, materials, weight, brand. We all bought a PB fell suit and that was it, got me out of a few scrapes over the years.

[anthonykay]

I still have my 1980's Pete Bland fell suit, although it hasn't seen much use in recent years; it hasn't got taped seams

Back on the subject of zips, for the last two years of my previous cycling jacket's life I only used the velcro fastenings at the front because the zip had broken; although a strong wind would often defeat the velcro. And I have had plenty of other garments where the zip has failed while the rest of the garment is still in good condition.

[Chris K]

Berghaus overtrousers,I managed to jump the zipper off the teeth on one leg, no problem as I can use the 'venting' zipper to vent down the leg then close it all up pulling it back to the top. I managed to break that bit too, so I just use the studs to close it together, good....so long as the rain doesn't come from behind.